Mayumi and the Sea of Happiness by Jennifer Tseng

Drenched in literature, rich with contemplation, Tseng’s first novel is wryly observant, compulsively readable and dangerously passionate. Mayumi is a 41-year old small town librarian, married, a mother, and stuck in the mundane, when she falls inexplicably in love with a young man. What follows is a beautifully written meditative romp through the seasons of lust, obsession and love. As real as it is metaphorical, Tseng writes on many levels, making for a most complex and satisfying read.